Tour de France: final stage in Paris shortened to 89 kilometres due to forest fires

Paris – 25 July 2026: The Tour de France will reach Paris on Sunday, 26 July 2026, on a significantly shortened route. The organizers have reduced the 21st and final stage from 133 to 89 kilometres. The start will therefore not take place as planned in Thoiry, in the Yvelines department; racing will take place exclusively on the final Paris circuit, with the finish on the Champs-Élysées.

The reason for the last-minute change is the severe forest fires, especially in the Gironde department. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez decided to transfer part of the security forces planned to ensure the safety of the Tour finale to the particularly affected regions. The race organization and the Paris Police Prefecture jointly announced the adjustment on Saturday.

The decision changes the character of the final race day, but not its sporting core. The route within the capital remains unchanged, including the passage through Montmartre and the final laps on the Champs-Élysées. The long transfer from the Yvelines to Paris gives way to a concentrated urban race, in which positioning and team control are likely to become decisive very early on.

For the teams, the short distance means different race management. Over 89 kilometres, there is little time to allow a breakaway attempt to develop in a controlled manner or to return to the peloton after an incident. Domestiques will therefore have to remain alert from the very first kilometre. On narrow roads and on the approach to Montmartre, the peloton can stretch out quickly. It will also be more difficult for the sprinters’ teams to control the race for an extended period.

The shortening follows a security assessment: while extensive barriers, traffic measures and police forces are needed for the finale in Paris, additional operational units are required in the areas affected by the fires. According to the Interior Ministry, 32 fires were underway across the country on Friday, 24 July. More than 50,000 hectares have reportedly burned since the beginning of the year. The fire near Saumos, north of the Bassin d’Arcachon, is considered the largest of the current season so far.

In Paris, the announced traffic and parking restrictions around the final circuit remain in force. Several municipalities that were originally located along the route through Île-de-France will no longer be passed through. The area to be secured is thus considerably reduced, allowing police and gendarmerie to free up personnel for other deployment locations.

The final stage will begin on 26 July. Eighty-nine kilometres of racing in Paris, three climbs of the Butte Montmartre and the finish on the Champs-Élysées are now confirmed. Meanwhile, emergency forces in south-western France continue to fight the fires.